Enabling the Maltese Language in WINDOWS XP GUIDE. User Support Computing Services Centre University of Malta

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1 Enabling the Maltese Language in WINDOWS XP GUIDE User Support Computing Services Centre University of Malta

2 2004 User Support Computing Services Centre University of Malta Msida MSD 06 Malta May be reproduced only with permission. Tel. (+356) Fax (+356) Computing Services Centre, University of Malta

3 A. Introduction In the past years the Central Information Management Unit (Office of the Prime Minister) worked closely with the Malta Standards Authority and Microsoft Corporation to achieve standardisation and facilitate the usage of the Maltese language in ICT. As a result of this collaboration, MS Windows XP users are now able to type the Maltese characters without installing any additional fonts. The following guide explains how MS Windows XP should be configured to use the Maltese language so that users will be able to type the Maltese characters. Before you enable the Maltese language, you need to install MS Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 2. To check whether Windows XP SP2 has been installed on your system: Press Windows key + Pause Break key The following screen will be displayed: If you have Windows XP but SP2 is not installed: 1. Connect your computer system to the Internet. 2. Click Start button. 3. Click Windows Update. Your browser will open and your system will be connected to the Microsoft Windows Update site. Computing Services Centre, University of Malta 3

4 4. Click Express Install (Recommended): High Priority Updates for Your Computer. The site will scan your system and will list the updates that you need to download. Follow the instructions to download and install MS Windows SP2. B. Enabling the Maltese Language 1. Click Start button. 2. Click Control Panel. The Control Panel dialog box will be displayed. 3. Double-click Regional and Language Options icon. The Regional and language Options dialog box will be displayed. 4. In the Regional Options tab, in the Standards and formats section, click the dropdown arrow and select Maltese. 5. In the Location section, click the drop-down arrow and select Malta. 6. Click Apply button. 7. Click the Languages tab. 4 Computing Services Centre, University of Malta

5 8. In the Text services and input languages section, click Details button. The Text Services and Input Languages dialog box will be displayed. Computing Services Centre, University of Malta 5

6 9. Click Add button. The Add Input Language dialog box will be displayed. 10. In the Input language: click the drop-down arrow and select Maltese. 11. Tick the Keyboard layout/ime checkbox and click the drop-down arrow and select the appropriate Maltese keyboard layout. Two Maltese Keyboard Layouts are available in MS Windows XP: Maltese 48-key Select this layout if you have a UK keyboard (key 3 has a sterling symbol). Maltese 47-key Select this layout if you have a US keyboard (key 3 has a # symbol). 12. Click OK button. You will be returned to the Text Services and Input Languages dialog box. 6 Computing Services Centre, University of Malta

7 13. If most of your work will involve typing in English, you can keep the English (United Kingdom) as your default language (just click Apply button). You can switch from English to Maltese and vice-versa as indicated in the next section. If most of your work will involve typing in Maltese, you can set the Maltese language as the default language, by clicking the drop-down arrow and selecting Maltese in the Default input language section. Click Apply button. 14. Click OK button to close the Text Services and Input Languages. C. Typing the Maltese Characters After enabling the Maltese language in MS Windows XP you can type in the Maltese characters if the Language bar displays ML. Typically the Language bar is displayed at the top of the window. Alternatively the Language bar may be minimised in the task bar (before the notification area) Computing Services Centre, University of Malta 7

8 Alternatively the Language bar may have been closed in which case you will need to display the Language bar: 1. Click Start button. 2. Click Control Panel. The Control Panel dialog box will be displayed. 3. Double-click Regional and Language Options icon. The Regional and language Options dialog box will be displayed. 4. Click Languages tab. 5. Click Details button. 6. In the Preferences section, click Language Bar button 7. Tick the option Show the Language bar on the desktop. You can tick the option Show text labels on the Language bar. 8. Click OK button three times. The Language Bar will be displayed at the top right corner of the desktop. You may wish to minimise the Language Bar to the task bar. To type the Maltese characters: 1. As indicated earlier, you can type in the Maltese characters if the Language bar displays ML. If ML is not displayed in the Language bar, you can switch to ML by clicking on EN and select ML Maltese. Alternatively you can press ALT+SHIFT key to switch between the enabled languages. 2. If you have a UK keyboard layout, the Maltese characters will be located as indicated below: UK Keyboard Layout (Maltese 48-key) Ċ Ġ Ħ Ż 8 Computing Services Centre, University of Malta

9 If you have a US keyboard layout, the Maltese characters will be located as indicated below: US Keyboard Layout (Maltese 47-key) Ċ Ġ Ħ Ż Note that: The Maltese keyboard layouts (shown above) are based on MSA 100:2002 Maltese Keyboard Standard published by the Malta Standards Authority. The CSC in collaboration with the CIMU is distributing self-adhesive labels displaying the Maltese characters that may be applied on existing keyboards. University staff may collect these labels from CSC Reception Desk. There is no charge for these labels. Key Combinations The AltGr Key can be combined with other keys to have the following output: AltGr + A = à AltGr + Shift + A = À AltGr + ` = ` AltGr + Shift + ` = AltGr + E = è AltGr + Shift + E = È AltGr + [ = [ AltGr + Shift + [ = { AltGr + I = ì AltGr + Shift + I = Ì AltGr + ] = ] AltGr + Shift + ] = } AltGr + O = ò AltGr + Shift + O = Ò AltGr + 3* = or # AltGr + C = AltGr + U = ù AltGr + Shift + U = Ù AltGr + T = AltGr + R = * Depends on Layout Computing Services Centre, University of Malta 9

10 2004 User Support Computing Services Centre University of Malta Msida MSD 06 MALTA May be reproduced only with permission. Tel. (+356) Fax (+356) Computing Services Centre, University of Malta